


9. Self-Inflicted

by love_write_edit_sleep



Series: Magnetization Of A Family (DBH 31 Fic Challenge) [9]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, TW: Self Harm, fix it fic for 8. Scars, mentions of cole and rk900, tw: suicide attempt?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-14 03:44:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15379932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_write_edit_sleep/pseuds/love_write_edit_sleep
Summary: Connor’s stress levels reach 100% and attempts to destroy himself. Hank tries to calm him before it’s too late.





	9. Self-Inflicted

Hank’s scars, and the events of the night Connor mentioned them, were not spoke of. The evening had been awkward, but they returned to normal the next day. Though, after Connor’s quip about never experiencing a green LED, Hank had been far more determined to actually make it happen. Connor had noticed, he knew he had, but it didn’t hurt to try, did it?

But now, days later, they were sitting in Fowler’s office, the two of them looking like naughty school boys as the Captain rubbed his forehead.

“So,” Captain Fowler looked up at Hank and Connor. “We received an update from CyberLife. They’ve just finished creating a new model for the police force, an RK900 prototype.”

“And?” Hank scowled.

“And so Connor is to return to CyberLife to be deactivated and disassembled.” 

“What…?” Connor whispered. Hank stood angrily.

“Fuck that! Androids and deviants have rights now! They can’t do that!”

“I don’t want to be…” Connor whispered to himself, his LED flickering red. “I don’t…”

“But he is not an ‘Android’, he is a prototype. Prototypes do not have rights.” Fowler crossed his arms. “I don’t make the rules, Hank.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck!” Hank slammed his fist on the table. “They ain’t fucking touching him!”

“Hank-”

“No, fuck you!” Hank spat. “Connor ain’t going anywhere. He’s registered to me! To the DPD!”

“Hank, he’s still  _ their  _ Android.”

“Thought you said he wasn’t an Android.”

“Fuck off, Hank. They own him, they can do what they want to him.” 

“I don’t want to…” Connor whispered.

“Androids have a right to life, Jeffrey! This is murder!”

“I want to leave-” Connor stood shakily, fleeing from the room. Hank wasted no more time with Fowler, running after the Android.

Connor made it halfway down the corridor when he stopped, his trembling and ragged breathing making it difficult to continue. Hank caught up with him.

“Connor, I’m not letting anyone do anything to you, I promise.” Hank whispered.

Connor suddenly threw his head back, slamming it against the wall, making Hank jump.

“Jesus, kid, what the fuck?” Connor didn’t even acknowledge him, simply threw his head back again, this time, drawing Thirium. The blue blood trickled down the back of Connor’s neck.

“Connor! Fuck, stop! Connor!” Hank cried, grabbing the Android by the back of the head and pulling him forward, away from the wall. Connor threw his head back again, but upon hitting nothing, realized he had to find another way to destroy himself. He scratched at the synthetic skin on his wrist, digging into the plastic of his arm and drawing Thirium.

“Connor!” Hank grabbed Connor’s wrists to stop him, but Connor started to twist his head around sharply, as though trying to snap his own neck. Hank did the only thing he could think to do. He grabbed the terrified Android by the jacket and pulled him into a hug, one hand around his waist, the other holding the back of his head.

“Shit, Connor, listen to me! You’re my kid! Nothing’s gonna happen to you, okay?” Connor jolted, trying to throw his head back. Hank kept his hand steady. “I’m not letting anyone touch you. You hear me? Just… hold on.”

Hold on?

“H-H-Hank…” Connor trembled, clinging to Hank’s jacket as he tried to throw his head back again.

“Hold on, just a little while longer…” Hank whispered softly, remembering the song Markus had sung several times. Connor jolted again. Hank wasn’t much of a singer, but he’d do his best for his kid. “Hold on, just a little while longer. Hold on, just a little while longer. Everything will be alright...”

Hank must have looked like a right twat, singing to his beaten up Android, rocking him as though he were a baby, but Connor had stopped. His breathing was slowing and his jolting had stopped and whatever the fuck that song meant to Connor, he wasn’t sure, but thank fuck for Markus.

“D-Dad…”

“It’s alright, Son, it’s okay. I love you. I’m right here.” Hank assured him, loosening his embrace slightly. Connor didn’t attempt to destroy himself. “No one’s taking another kid from me.”

“I am property of CyberLife, they can do what they want to me.” Connor whispered, his face buried in Hank’s chest. “I don’t want t-to be deactivated…” Hank thought for a moment, then he smirked.

“Come on, let’s clean you up, then we gotta go see someone.”

* * *

“Suck on this.” Hank spat, slamming a piece of paper on the desk in front of Jeffrey. The Captain looked at it and raised an eyebrow.

“This isn’t gonna change anything.”

“Oh yeah?” Hank smirked. “Look at it again.” Fowler rolled his eyes and did so, this time, blinking in surprise when he recognized a certain signature.

“You…?”

“Adopted Connor, fuck you.” Hank smirked, crossing his arms. “Adoption papers; Signed by me and  _ Connor’s creator himself _ . He’s mine now, CyberLife can’t touch him.”

“But he doesn’t have rights of a human, you can’t adopt him!”

“Elijah knew you’d say that, so we came prepared.” Hank slapped another piece of paper down. “Android ownership papers and receipt as proof of purchase. He’s my kid, my property, whatever you wanna call it. These papers prove that he’s mine. He doesn’t belong to CyberLife, nor did he. He technically belonged to Elijah, his creator. So now… with Elijah's confirmation, Connor belongs to me.”

“Fuck you, Hank.” Jeffrey rubbed his head. “Get outta here with the damn thing.”

“With pleasure.” Hank snarled, snatching the papers back and leaving the room. Connor stood anxiously waiting, wringing his hands as his LED blinked yellow. “You ain’t going anywhere, Kid.” Hank smiled.

“I don’t understand, what did you do?” Hank wordlessly held out the papers for Connor to read. Connor blinked. “You… you purchased me?”

“I adopted you.” Hank told him.

“Y-you… did that for me?” Connor whispered. “I don’t know… what to… Hank!” Connor cried suddenly, throwing himself at Hank. Hank laughed as he was almost knocked over, holding Connor tight. That was when he felt Connor trembling.

“Son… you okay?” Hank asked, pulling away. Then he smiled. “Hold still.” Hank whipped out his phone and pulled Connor closer. He wrapped his arm around the Android and held the phone up for a selfie. “Say cheese.”

“Cheese?” Connor asked, but Hank had already snapped a picture. “What was that for?”

“You’re LEDs only gone fucking green, Connor!” Hank laughed, holding up the photo he’d just taken of himself grinning, Connor looking happy but confused. Now that Connor was paying attention, he could clearly see the bright green LED on his temple.

“But- But that’s-!”

“Alright, Kid! Don’t self-destruct, jeez!” Hank chuckled, ruffling Connor’s hair. “How do you feel?”

“It’s almost impossible to describe…” Connor breathed happily, touching his green LED gently. “I am extremely happy, so much so I am overwhelmed by it. My chest is aching in a satisfying way and I feel warm… But even though I am happy, I want to cry. I really enjoy this feeling.”

“I haven’t felt this in a long time, Kid.” Hank chuckled, wrapping his arm around Connor as he lead the bubbling Android back to their desks.

Jeffrey shook his head at the sight.

“Fucking Andersons.”

* * *

“You okay?” Hank asked, turning to the Android sitting beside him on the couch.

“Yes.” Connor smiled, turning to Hank. “Thank you, for everything you did today.”

“You don’t need to thank me for that, Kid, Jesus.” Hank scoffed. “You’re my Son, only now, it’s more official.”

Connor’s LED flickered green.

“That feeling is back, Hank.” Connor whispered, a small smile on his face. 

“I can see that.” Hank chuckled. Connor hummed to himself contently, his LED turning blue again. “Listen, Connor… About a few days ago…”

“I know… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten angry and stormed out or said what I did-” 

“Connor, stop,  _ I’m  _ the one who should be sorry.”

“What for?”

“For not listening to you!” Hank cried. “Today, I-I thought I was gonna lose you for good, to CyberLife and to yourself. I… I- When I lost Cole, when he was taking his final breaths, I was so fucking scared, Connor. I’ve never felt that scared, not before, not after. Not until you started smashing your own head in.”

“Hank, I-”

“I thought you were gonna kill yourself and I shat myself, Kid.” Connor giggled at the expression, despite the seriousness of the conversation. Hank smiled. “I think I get it now; how I made you feel. I thought I was gonna lose the only thing that mattered to me in this shithole… So, I’m gonna change. Not by much, just… less drinking, more salads, that sort of thing. Might give exercise a try.”

“You are?!” Connor asked, shifting excitedly. “Thank you, Hank!”

“Thought you said the green LED was fucking rare, this is the third time it’s happened in one day!” Hank chuckled. Connor nodded, biting his lips as his eyes welled with tears.

“I am just very happy and overwhelmed today.” Connor explained, shifting closer to Hank. Hank knew what Connor was after and pulled the Android close.

“Good. Hopefully, you’ll have a more days like that.”


End file.
